Chapter 346: Redeeming Liu Ling
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Bo
Qin Xiaoyao then gave the box from which she had taken out 2000 taels of silver to the brothel madame.
“There’s 8000 taels of silver in here. Give me Liu Ling’s indenture and I’ll take him away.11
“Lord Marquis…” The brothel madame became anxious.
However, just as she opened her mouth, she was stopped by Qin Xiaoyao’s icy gaze.
“If the Empress’s brother asks, just tell him my name. If he has the guts, then let him go to my residence to ask for Liu Ling,” Qin Xiaoyao said in a deep voice, her tone filled with hostility.
The brothel madame shrank back. She was frightened by the aura Qin Xiaoyao released.
When she recalled how this person had killed countless people on the battlefield without emotions and was now a new upstart in the capital, she didn’t dare to refuse her demand.
“Yes, Lord Marquis. Then, please… please wait a moment.” After hesitating for a moment, the brothel madame finally gave in.
Thereafter, she carried the money box and went out.
Yun Niang and Liu Ling looked at Qin Xiaoyao excitedly as soon as the brothel madame left. Their eyes were filled with gratitude.
Qin Xiaoyao gave the two of them a reassuring look and waited leisurely.
After a while, the brothel madame returned.
She even brought Liu Ling’s indenture.
Qin Xiaoyao took the indenture and checked it. Then she let Liu Ling take a look.
After confirming that there was no problem, she kept the indenture in her pocket
“Thank you for your help, Madame.” Liu Ling stepped forward and bowed to the brothel madame.
The brothel madame looked at Liu Ling with conflicting emotions and sighed.
“Since Lord Marquis has redeemed you, you can follow Lord Marquis without worries in the future.”
“Mm-hmm,” Liu Ling answered docilely.
Only then did the brothel madame bid farewell to Qin Xiaoyao.
Before she left, she didn’t forget to take another look at Yun Niang.
Yun Niang was definitely involved in the matter of Qin Xiaoyao redeeming Liu Ling.
However… forget it. The two of them were siblings after ail, and Yun Niang was her top courtesan. Since she didn’t lose money, she was happy to grant Yun Niang this favor.
The siblings watched the brothel madame leave.
After she left, Liu Ling looked at Yun Niang worriedly.
“Elder Sis…” he called out worriedly.
Yun Niang raised her hand.
“No worries.
“Madame still needs me to support Cloud Scent Court. Your matter is already settled. She won’t make things difficult for me.”
Liu Ling’s expression became more relaxed.
“The matter has been settled. You should leave early with Lord Marquis.
“Once you go to the Marquis’s residence, you must listen to rhe Marquis s instructions,” Yun Niang reminded him.
“Mm-hmm,” Liu Ling hurriedly answered.
Yun Niang then looked at Qin Xiaoyao.
“Henceforth, 1 will have to trouble Lord Marquis,” she bowed to Qin Xiaoyao.
“Don’t mention it,” Qin Xiaoyao replied with a smile.
Thereafter, she left Cloud Scent Court with Princess Xiangyang and Liu Ling.
On the way back, Princess Xiangyang still glanced at Liu Ling from time to time.
When this carried on until Liu Ling felt very uneasy, Qin Xiaoyao gave a cough to put a stop to it.
“Cough! Since we’re all living under the same roof from now on, let me introduce you to each other first,” Qin Xiaoyao said.
“This is my disciple. She is also the youngest princess of the Emperor and Empress, Princess Xiangyang.” Qin Xiaoyao pointed at Princess Xiangyang and introduced her to Liu Ling.
Princess Xiangyang raised her head proudly.
Liu Ling’s face turned pale when he heard that. He looked at Princess Xiangyang with fear in her eyes.
That expression stung Princess Xiangyang.
Immediately, the haughtiness disappeared, leaving only anger.
What did this person mean by that look? Judging by his reaction, it was as if she could eat him alive.
“Cough! This is Liu Ling, Young Master Liu. He was a performer at Cloud Scent Court previously.” Qin Xiaoyao pretended not to see Princess Xiangyang’s expression and introduced Liu Ling.
“Oh.” Princess Xiangyang glanced at Liu Ling with a somewhat annoyed look.
It was his fault for looking at her like that.
“Your humble sub… subject hereby pays his respects to Princess Xiangyang?’ After getting glared at by Princess Xiangyang, Liu Ling hurriedly turned towards her and bowed.
However, this greeting made Princess Xiangyang frown even deeper.
Princess Xiangyang was about to say something when Qin Xiaoyao interrupted her.
“Empress Jia’s brother and Xiangyang are two different people.
“Xiangyang is a kind-hearted girl who can distinguish right from wrong. Young Master Liu, you don’t have to be afraid of her.”
When Princess Xiangyang heard this, she turned to look at Qin Xiaoyao. She finally discerned some underlying meaning.
When she saw Liu Ling s expression relax a little, the speculation in her heart became even stronger.
“Master, what do you mean by that? Could it be that my uncle…”
When Qin Xiaoyao shot her a glance, the girl shut her mouth at once.
Qin Xiaoyao glanced at Liu Ling carefully before saying to Princess Xiangyang, “I will explain this matter to you later.”
Princess Xiangyang also glanced at Liu Ling and answered, “Okay?1
Qin Xiaoyao then changed the topic.
“Xiangyang will be staying at the Marquis’s residence for a period of time. As for Young Master Liu, he will also be staying in the Marquis’s residence for a month.
“From now on, both of you are my guests. I hope you two can get along peacefully,” Qin Xiaoyao said.
Princess Xiangyang and Liu Ling looked at each other.
“Okay.”
“Yes, Ma’am?’ They replied respectively.
Qin Xiao looked at the two of them. One of them was unwilling, while the other was suffering in silence to maintain the peace. She felt a little helpless in her heart.
Nonetheless, she did not say anything else.
The horse carriage slowly traveled all the way back to the Marquis s residence.
When she got home, Qin Xiaoyao handed Liu Ling to the caretaker and asked him to arrange a courtyard lodging for Liu Ling.
Thereafter, she returned to her courtyard compound.
in the end, Princess Xiangyang caught up with her.
She pulled Qin Xiaoyao back and asked, ‘Master, what’s going on between Liu Ling and my uncle? Did my uncle bully him?”
On the way, she almost suffocated from holding back, but her master did not allow her to ask.
Now that she was finally separated from Liu Ling, she had to get to the bottom of the matter.
Qin Xiaoyao glanced at Xiangyang.
“Didn’t you already guess it?” she asked.
Xiangyang’s eyes widened.
“I guessed it? No, I didn’t guess it. My uncle is a good person and treats me well.
“Though… though there’s a rumor that says he likes men. But that is all groundless accusations. Otherwise, how could 1 have two cousins?”
Qin Xiaoyao glanced at Xiangyang again.
“You are the youngest princess of the Emperor and Empress, and also the niece of the Empress’s brother. Isn’t it normal for him to treat you well?
“As for the matter of him liking men, where is it written that a man who likes men can’t have children with a woman?”
Qin Xiaoyao looked at Xiangyang in annoyance.
When she saw that Xiangyang had lowered her head, her expression became more relaxed.
“In the first place, I have never met the Empress’s brother, so I shouldn’t have criticized him.
“But I’ve personally seen three young masters from the residence of the Empress’s brother bully Liu Ling on the streets.
“After that, 1 met Yun Niang who came to beg me. She asked me to help her redeem her younger brother. This is to prevent Liu Ling from being forcibly redeemed by the Empress’s brother and brought into the residence of the Empress’s brother.
“According to what Yun Niang said at that time, if Liu Ling entered the residence of the Empress’s brother, he probably wouldn’t be able to survive.”
Xiangyang was shocked again and raised her head to look at Qin Xiaoyao.
Qin Xiaoyao sighed.
“I sent someone to inquire after the incident. The Empress’s brother had previously brought a male he doted on back to the residence. But not long after that, he was gone.”
Xiangyang’s heart skipped a beat.
“What… what’s going on?” She felt that the person her master was talking about was different from the uncle she knew..